Festive rubbish and recycling collections info

There will be no change to rubbish and recycling collections in County Durham over the festive period.

Durham County Council is asking residents to put their bins out as normal over Christmas and New Year.

Bins should be left at the kerbside by 7am on your normal collection day.

The last day for bulky waste and white goods collections will be Friday, 23 December, with the service resuming on Tuesday, 3 January. To book a collection online, visit www.durham.gov.uk/bulkywaste

The council will once again be offering a collection service for real Christmas trees. Bookings, for collection in the New Year, can be made by calling 03000 261 000 or by visiting www.durham.gov.uk between Monday, 19 December and Sunday, 8 January.

Real Christmas trees can also be taken to any of the council’s Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC). To check opening times, visit www.durham.gov.uk/hwrc

Anyone visiting a HWRC in a van, pick-up, mini-bus or towing a trailer will need to apply for a permit in advance by calling 03000 261 000 or visiting www.durham.gov.uk/householdpermit

If you require a waste permit for use over the Christmas and New Year period, you must apply before noon on Friday, 16 December.

Residents are also reminded to Bin it Right in order to reduce recycling contamination. Check which items should be placed in which bin by visiting www.durham.gov.uk/whatgoeswhere

And if you’re getting new furniture in time for Christmas or buying electrical appliances in the sales, remember to dispose of old items responsibly.

Don’t leave them in your yard, garden or street for a ‘man with a van’ to collect as they may end up being flytipped.

Items can be taken to any HWRC or donated to charity. Details of furniture reuse charities can be found at www.durham.gov.uk/reuse

Cllr Brian Stephens, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, said: “We all produce significantly more waste than normal over the Christmas and New Year period so it’s especially important that we take extra care to dispose of it responsibly.

“This year, there will be no change to kerbside collections but I would urge people to take note of other changes to waste and recycling services, such as HWRC closures and the pause in bulky waste and white goods collections.

“Information on all of our waste and recycling services is available on our website, where residents can also book bulky waste and real Christmas tree collections, order a permit and check their rubbish and recycling collection days.”

To download a bin collection calendar, visit www.durham.gov.uk and enter your house number and postcode into the My Durham section.